Taylor Swift broke her political silence and endorsed 2 Democratic candidates running for office in Tennessee

Taylor Swift has endorsed Democratic candidates for office in her home state of Tennessee.
Carlo Allegri/Reuters

Taylor Swift has endorsed two Democratic candidates in her home state of Tennessee.

In an Instagram post Sunday evening, Swift acknowledged her reluctancy to publicly express political opinions but said she was ready to speak up over what she described as "several events in my life and in the world in the past two years."

The 28-year-old said she was spurred to speak out in opposition of the Republican congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, who represents Tennessee's 7th District and is running against the former Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen for a US Senate seat.

Taylor Swift endorsed two Democratic politicians in her home state of Tennessee on Sunday night in a rare moment of political activism.

In a lengthy Instagram post, Swift acknowledged her reluctancy to publicly express political opinions but said she was ready to speak up over what she described as "several events in my life and in the world in the past two years."

"I always have and always will cast my vote based on which candidate will protect and fight for the human rights I believe we all deserve in this country," she wrote.

"I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent."

The 28-year-old said she was spurred to speak out in opposition of Rep. Marsha Blackburn, the Republican who represents Tennessee's 7th District and is running against the former Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen for a US Senate seat.

"As much as I have in the past and would like to continue voting for women in office, I cannot support Marsha Blackburn," Swift said. "Her voting record in Congress appalls and terrifies me. She voted against equal pay for women. She voted against the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which attempts to protect women from domestic violence, stalking, and date rape. She believes businesses have a right to refuse service to gay couples. She also believes they should not have the right to marry.